Born On A Battlefield
by Storyteller's Dream
Summary: Cody has a problem with Padme and a personal issue with Ahsoka. Padme-bashing for being in the middle of a battlefield. Different Summary then what is inside. Please Read and Review.


Name: Storyteller's Dream

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Born On a Battlefield

Rating: T

Main Pairings: Commander Cody/ Ahsoka Tano

Secondary Pairings: Captain Rex/?

Notes: Characters are kind of out there.

Summary: "Cody, you are a remarkable man. You remind me much of Jango. You have his charm and yes I say that with some sarcasm, his wit, his intelligence, his honor. But I cannot for the life of me believe that he was as blind as you." Kenobi said with a chuckle. "Just goes to show that you maybe his clone, but you are your own person. I suggest that you tell her how you feel and see if this 'someone else' is closer than you think." Padme-bashing for being in the middle of a battlefield.

:: ~ :: - Comlink Speech

_Italic_- Thoughts

" ~ " - Speech

~*~ - Scene, Time, or PoV change

The battle was over, after countless days and nights of fighting the Separatists have finally fallen back. Victory always felt like defeat since several dozen good men, clones they may have been fell in battle against the Separatists droids. It was victories like these that always caused those who lived to feel lucky and at the same time cursed. Even though their deaths were not in vain, sometimes it felt like they were senseless.

These deaths were truly senseless.

Ahsoka Tano, Padawan to Anakin Skywalker, dubbed The Hero With No Fear by the public and General Suicide Missions by the soldiers under him watching as the Clone Commanders, emphasis on the Commander part tried to keep their fellow Commander and friend, Cody from leaping to his feet. She didn't need the Force to tell her that he was angry... no pissed off.

She remained perched on the gunship though, her own injuries nothing to make light of. After a moment, Captain Rex, her normal battle brother sat down beside her, handing her a canteen as the reason for Cody's rage wandered into view on her Master's arm.

Senator Padme Amidala Naberrie-Skywalker, surely she didn't think that Ahsoka was stupid enough to believe she was just Master Skywalker's close friend, had caused the death of several soldiers. Why? Because she was in the middle of a battlefield. Why was the Senator in the middle of battlefield? Force only knew and Ahsoka didn't want to know the answer.

Now she walked around the very men that she killed several of like she had not a care in the world. Then again General Skywalker was with her. That was always a turn off.

"You want to know why Cody is so pissed off." Rex asked conversationally. Ahsoka handed him back his canteen, wincing as her arm protested the movement.

"Let's hear it." Ahsoka said noting that Cody's attention seemed to be entirely on her and Rex now. Probably a good thing considering that he was strangling his rage towards the Senator.

"He heard from another trooper, Mic that she shot several troopers. Victims of friendly fire. That's why Cody's about to bash her skull in."

Ahsoka took the canteen back and tried to keep from wincing. Ahsoka wondered how Rex would take the news that Padme's wild shooting was the reason her arm protested. She didn't tell him. He was too good a friend to place in danger with Skywalker over his wife's aim.

"Senators should be in the Senate Chamber and not here on the battlefield." Ahsoka said calmly watching as the Senator detached herself from Sky Guy's arm and walk towards Echo.

Echo, who was also a victim of her brand of friendly-fire looked up in time to see her coming and immediately started to scoot away from her crushing Jester's already injured leg. Jester wrapped an arm protectively around his younger brother, his expression lethal. It made Padme freeze like it was meant to.

"Here we go." Ahsoka muttered as Rex nodded in agreement. Master Skywalker was off talking to Master Kenobi. If there was an assassin among them, they would find out here.

"Get away from us." Jester snarled. "Get away from Echo."

"You can't talk to me like that!" Padme once again had that regal air about her. Most people were humbled; clones were enraged by her 'better-than-you' show.

"Get away from them, Senator." Commander Cody said calmly shaking off Commander Thire's hand. "These brave men don't deserve to be gawked at by you."

"What do you mean? I was out there fighting with them!"

"She should not have opened that particular door." Ahsoka said amused though she began to rise. Cody's rage was off the charts. Pretty soon, the Generals would be coming back because of his rage. Maybe they would bring Bly with them. If Cody got anymore enraged, it would take Bly, Gree, Vox, Thire, and Rex at least to get him back down to normal.

"Don't you mean shooting them? You shot several of them in the back! You KILLED an entire squad!" Cody's breathing was harsh, his breastplate moving up and down.

"You don't know that!" Padme sounded a tad unsure of herself.

"Why are you even here? This is a battlefield! You should be in the Senate Chambers on Coruscant!" Cody snapped. Out of the corner of her eye Ahsoka spotted Anakin, Kenobi, Aayla, and Bly running their direction. Cody was going to get into a lot of trouble if she didn't do something.

"I have every right to be here as Ahsoka!" The Senator of Naboo declared. That was Ahsoka's cue.

"Really? Since when did you become a Jedi? I don't seem to remember. Who was your Master? Where's _your_ lightsaber?" Ahsoka said clearly as the Clones ringing Cody and Padme broke apart for the Commander.

"I-" Padme broke off with a look of relief as General Skywalker came up. Ahsoka didn't need the Force to tell her what Padme would do. So she decided that it was time to show these Clones what she had learned from the Senator herself.

"Senator Padme Amidala Naberrie," Ahsoka began spotting another supporter of what she was about to do coming up. "You are placing the lives of at least two Jedi and an Admiral in danger by always appearing on a battlefield. We can't let you die so we have to send in squads of men that we cannot replace to protect you. If you want to be in a battle, go to the Senate. You didn't help us here at all."

"That's not true! Anakin tell your Pad-" The Senator started only to have Ahsoka interrupt.

"If you insist on being on a battlefield, you need to learn that you are no better than anyone else here. You need to learn to take orders and hone your skills with a blaster. In addition to _killing_ several clones and wounding more, you shot me. On this battlefield we had more to fear from you than the droids we battled." Ahsoka watched two out of three Jedi Generals gaped between her and the third looked defensive.

"Now wait a minute Ahsoka! You say she shot you?" Anakin didn't believe her. "How could you know? You were in the heat of battle!"

"I remember that blaster pointed at me and woman behind it Master." Ahsoka pointed out as she moved her arm to allow him to see the wound. Though it was bandaged, it was bleeding still. Bly, who specialized in blaster wounds gripped her arm gently, removed the bandage, and studied it. He looked over at Padme's blaster; Padme was trying to turn so the Commander could not see it, and made his judgment.

"Same blaster as the Senator's." His voice was distorted by his helmet but it was clear that he was displeased. He rewrapped the wound then.

"Senator Amidala it is a clear suggestion that if you ever feel the need to see a battlefield perhaps it would be best for those on it that you did not visit until after the battle." Admiral Yularen said. As the commanding officer of the military fleet he held more weight than Ahsoka did.

"I can be of use-"

"Not from our stand point." Cody snarled. Ahsoka placed her hand on his arm. Cody looked down at her and she squeezed his arm in a _let be_ gesture. Cody turned and marched off. Ahsoka looked back at everyone.

"Well I'm gonna go find our good commander and make sure he doesn't destroy something. We might need it later." Ahsoka excused herself to go find the commander.

Jester eased Echo off his wounded leg though the younger clone didn't want to be far from him. He was still afraid that Padme would touch him. General Skywalker led the Senator away from the clones as Captain Rex sat down beside them.

"Your girl is going after another man." Thire said cheerfully to Rex, trying to see if he could get a rise out of Rex.

"Ahsoka is not my girl." Rex said looking past the Commander at someone.

"She hangs around with you, I thought-" Thire said frowning.

"It's so that no one else tries to take her from her training. I see her as a recruit that needs a lot of training."

"So who?" Thire turned around to see the brown robes of a Jedi vanish from their sight.

~*~

Ahsoka managed to find Cody standing among cargo containers waiting to be either shipped out or off-loaded. He was staring off into the distance, his helmet which had been clipped to his belt hanging from his fingers. Ahsoka would have admired the view if she didn't feel his pain.

"Cody?" Ahsoka whispered touch his arm again. Cody gave no sign that he heard her. Ahsoka used her injured arm to pull his helmet out of his hand. If she couldn't feel his pain, the sheer fact that he was allowing her to pull his helmet a prized possession to every clone, told her how much pain he was in. She laid the helmet down on the nearest cargo container before turning back to the issue at hand.

Cody had tears falling down his face. Ahsoka gently touched his face, leading him to look down. He stared at her without seeing.

"Cody talk to me." Ahsoka whispered.

Cody wrapped his arms around her and hugged the young woman to him. Ahsoka hid the wince as his armor bit into her wounds and body. The trooper armor was not comfortable to be hugged to. But she would be there for him. That's what she wanted to do.

"My brothers..." She heard him whisper brokenly. The loss of so many brothers had caused him to start to break down. You couldn't get rid of everything human.

"Talk to me Cody. Talk to me." She didn't use the Force she just used her own voice. She comforted him. Within a few moments, the Commander broke. The words that spilled out made her own tears fall.

"So many and all for what? We won't live to see what happens. None of us. We're just... puppets." Cody's legs gave out and Ahsoka could not hold them both. They slid against the container, resting on the ground.

"You are not puppets Cody." Ahsoka whispered as he buried his face under her montrails.

"We won't be remembered."

"I will always remember you." Ahsoka said fiercely. Cody leaned away from her, looking at her. His eyes were swollen. He searched her face, looking for any attempt at a lie.

"Why?"

"Because I can. Because I will. Because I should."

"Why?" Cody asked. He sounded so much like a child to her, felt somewhat like a child in the Force.

"Because no one will ever be forgotten if I can help it." She brushed a gentle kiss to Cody's temple. "No one not even Slick."

Cody held her close, almost like she was his teddy bear against the dark. Ahsoka leaned her head against the top of his head, pushing her body against his. Even while her injuries protested she knew that he needed her more than she needed to ease her posture.

~*~

It was several hours later that Ahsoka came awake to a gentle prodding to her arm. She opened her eyes to see Rex and another in blue standing behind him.

"Is something wrong?" Ahsoka asked. The second clone tried to take Cody off of her. It was surprising to both of them that her hand had snapped a hold of his wrist.

"Cody probably passed out from stress, exhaustion, and injuries." Rex explained before waving to his comrade who was trying gently, but firmly to remove Ahsoka's hand for his wrist. "Jaing is offering to carry Cody so we don't have to wake him. If you don't mind though, we're short on room so we're gonna place you in the same bunker."

"Oh, uh sorry Jaing." Ahsoka said slightly embarrassed. When she released Jaing's wrist, Rex scooped her up. She watched as Jaing picked Cody up like he was a child and the two carried them to a bunker that was currently unoccupied. Ahsoka was dimly aware that there was no one around.

"Rex what time is it?" Ahsoka asked as she watched Jaing set Cody down on the bed next to hers.

"Late. Really late. You and Cody hid really well. But Jaing spotted Cody's helmet." Rex placed said helmet on the bed next to Ahsoka. "We need to keep Cody in here for a couple of days. You too, because General Skywalker is rather pissed at both of you over the Senator. So I am going to give you this helmet. Don't let Cody get it... in fact I think we'll take it with us." Rex said picking it up again. He dropped a med kit down beside her.

"Use this on his injuries. Jaing or I will come check on you. I have to find General Kenobi and get you some help. Admiral Yularen is someone Anakin doesn't want to take on." Rex said as Jaing peered out of the door before motioning to Rex.

"Thank you Rex and Jaing." Ahsoka said sincerely. Rex gave her hand a gently squeeze before heading out the door.

"What no kisses?" Ahsoka blinked in surprise at Cody's statement. Apparently the Commander was awake.

"Kisses what? Rex kiss me? Ew!" Ahsoka snapped. Cody looked over at her from his bed.

"Ew?" Cody repeated not believing her.

"Rex is my _brother_. Nothing else. That's just wrong." Ahsoka said miffed. Cody sat up, wincing as he did so. Ahsoka noticed it right away.

"Take off your armor." Ahsoka said sitting up herself. She pulled open the med kit.

"No."

"I'm not telling you to get naked, Cody. I'm telling you to take your armor off so I can perform first aid on you."

"Commander Tano, what do you _suppose_ is under my armor?" Cody asked blandly.

"What happened to Ahsoka? And there has to be a spare body glove running around here. I'll close my eyes so you can protect your dignity. By the way, I bet Rex locked the door from the outside." Ahsoka turned her back and closed her eyes. For a moment, Ahsoka feared that Cody wouldn't do it until she heard him sigh and plates start to fall off his body. Then his mattress creaked and he stood up, rummaging around until he found a body suit.

"Alright, I'm decent." Cody said calmly. Ahsoka turned around and opened her eyes. She tried not to blush as Cody had left the bodysuit open to the waist. Any thoughts that were not professional were quickly pushed aside when she saw the wounds to his side and shoulder. How he could have held her without feeling pain was a question that she could never answer.

"It's time for me to take care of your wounds. So please sit still." Ahsoka said getting out the bandages. She began to work on the ribs first, checking to see if they were broken.

"Why ew?" Cody asked after a moment. Ahsoka paused in her prodding.

"You mean with Rex? Rex doesn't interest me in that manner." Ahsoka said.

"But you act-" He was cut off by the need to wince.

"Rex is extremely protective of me I'll grant you that. I am protective of him I'll grant you that. But we do this so no one messes with me. I just want to learn from Rex. But if anyone decides that they want an interest in me, I'll avoid Rex to avoid them. So Rex and I look like a couple, but we're not. Besides Rex is... in a relationship already. I did not tell you that." Ahsoka said blushing in discomfort.

"Rex is in a relationship?" Cody echoed. "Who is she?"

"Er... enough talking more healing." Ahsoka said moving to his shoulder.

"What about you?" Cody asked curious. Ahsoka blinked in confusion.

"What about me?"

"We all know you are interested in someone. We thought that it was Rex. Since it isn't, I wanted to know. Who is it?"

"No comment." Ahsoka said placing bacta on his shoulder. Cody winced.

"Don't give me that. Who is it Ahsoka? Come one I won't tell him." Cody smiled playfully.

"I'll let you guess." Ahsoka said. "Until I finish bandaging your wounds."

"Great, let's get started." Cody knew that he didn't have a lot of time.

"He's... on the ground. Not a flyer. In fact don't think about Odd Ball. Not a Jedi either." Cody frowned remembering all the times that Odd Ball and Dex had flirted with the Padawan.

"Okay... you have dealings with the 212th, the 501st and 745th companies." Referring to the companies led by Kenobi, Skywalker, and Secura.

"He wears yellow." That narrowed it down to the 212th and 745th. Of the 745th, Cody knew she had only dealt with Bly and a weird tech that always talked to himself, Rage.

"Please tell me not Rage."

"Rage? Rage has eyes only for computers. In fact I think he sleeps inside one every night. Don't even start about Bly. Bly's eyes are trained forward and not on any woman. Or man."

"Waxer."

"Into that lady medic."

"Boil."

"Into Clanky."

"I did not need to hear that." Cody said wincing. Ahsoka shrugged.

"Don't know what to tell you save a few brothers-in-arms run cover for them."

"Ziggy."

"What an innocent."

"Answers that question. Mic?"

"Twi'leks are more his style."

"Why do you know so much about my Company?" Cody asked his eyes narrowing.

"Everyone needs a hobby."

"My Company, your hobby?"

"Your Company, matchmaking hobby. The Force is good for something." She countered as she finished his arm.

"Guess that ends the questioning."

"Bedtime Cody." Ahsoka said laughing gently. She shoved the Commander into the bed and tucked him in.

"Thank you mommy, can I have a glass of water too?" Cody mimicked a little boy. Ahsoka laughed and got his water, but by the time she got back Cody was already asleep. She placed it on the table next to his bed and picked up his armor plates. She cleaned them, fixing what she could, remembering everything that Rex had taught her. She even cleaned his pistols, the whole process taking an hour and a half. By then Cody was in deep sleep.

Ahsoka knew that he had healed somewhat from the battle but he would never be the same way. All battles took forever to heal from. With another thought she gently kissed his forehead before returning to her bunk.

~*~

Battle, Two Months Later

Commander Cody gritted his teeth in anger as he watched the Naboo Senator prance around on the battlefield again. His pistol ached to be in his hand and firing on her. It must have shown because he found himself flanked by Rex and Ahsoka, latter trying to make a joke.

"Maybe she'll die this time and we can be free of her." Ahsoka had been punished by Anakin for trying to get the Senator back onto the Senate Floor though neither she nor Rex would talk about it. Now she just seemed to want the Senator to die. It was a desire shared by ninety percent of the 212th and 501st.

The battlefield was no place for a Senator.

"Don't think so." Rex said as Anakin jumped droids to rescue his wife. Only now there seemed to be a new development in their relationship. Anakin was yelling at the Senator.

"What a beautiful sight." Ahsoka laughed as she deflected blasts from the droids.

"It would be even more beautiful if it meant something." Cody said hitting another droid.

"Yeah well, one step at a time." Rex said tossing a grenade at a droid tank. Ahsoka laughed and raced off to fight another commando droid leaving the Commander and Captain to their internal comlinks.

::Rex I have a question.:: Cody started.

::In the middle of battle?:: Rex wailed.

::Who does Ahsoka want to date?::

::Give me a break will you! Wait, why do you want to know?::

::Curious.:: Cody commanded his men forward, seeing as Ahsoka had destroyed many of their major tanks.

::Ask her. She talks to him all the time.:: Rex tossed another grenade.

::She won't answer. Makes me guess. I know they are part of the 212th.::

::Whose name haven't you mentioned? Why don't YOU tell her that you like her?::

::If she's happy with this guy why ruin it?:: The droids were running now. The General of the droid army was captured by Ahsoka and Kenobi while Skywalker was protecting the Senator.

::You might be surprised.:: Rex said dryly before going off to shadow Ahsoka again. ::I asked her once why she liked him and she said it was born on a battlefield.::

Catching up to his General he realized that Kenobi was watching Rex and Ahsoka was interest. Rex was helping her to go thru and find the living so they could be taken to the Medics.

"He looks like he's attached to her but it's all an act." General Kenobi said thoughtfully. Cody wasn't surprised that Obi-wan Kenobi knew. The man was extremely intelligent.

"Yes sir I know. They had me fooled until they told me." Commander Cody responded.

"And look, it's everyone's favorite Senator. Still alive too." Obi-wan said with a weary sigh. Padme Amidala stood next to Anakin watching Ahsoka find wounded soldiers.

"She's sleeping with him." The Senator announced. Cody bristled at the lie and the manner in which it was delivered.

"That's nice." General Kenobi said absently. "Of course I would like to know why you are here Senator. But that would be like beating a dead dewback. Not worth my time. Anakin can you please make sure that the Senator gets back to her ship?"

"My pleasure and I'll lock the nav computer so it only goes to Coruscant." Anakin said coldly eyeing his wife.

"Ani-" Whatever the Senator was going to say was cut off by the general tossing the Senator over his shoulder and racing back thru the lines of Clone soldiers. Her shrieks and curses could be heard over the metal grinding of heavy tanks. Cody watched as Ahsoka and Rex cheered when he noticed something horrible.

Ahsoka had blood draining down her body. Rex noticed it too, bringing it to Ahsoka's attention. She blinked, looking down. Cody was dimly aware of screaming as Ahsoka fell.

The screams were his own.

~*~

He watched her sleep in the Medbay bed, refusing to leave her side. She was unresponsive at the moment, having been in a comatose state for well over three days. The wound had been more serious than they thought and Bly had been rather grim when he told them that the blaster wound was the same as the one before.

Senator Padme Amidala Naberrie had shot Ahsoka Tano. They told the Senator that she had done it again. At first she denied remembering it, but Aayla Secura told her that they knew different. The Senator then refused to give a reason as to why she had done it. She did say that the Clones were not people. That they didn't have feelings or desires; that they were not worthy of serving in the Republic.

In a ship full of Clones, such comments were a death sentence, but the Senator was led her ship her bodyguards were waiting. They were informed that the Senator was to be sent back to Coruscant and remain there. Anakin had a few private words with the Senator, but nothing ever was mentioned. The unspeakable thing was that Anakin had to accompany the Senator, leaving his Padawan in the Medbay, alone save for Rex and Cody.

Now Cody stood in the Medbay, waiting for Ahsoka to open her eyes.

"She's healing you know." Cody whirled around to see his General standing there with a smile. He was going to stammer some lame excuse but General Kenobi waved it away.

"Don't bother. She may not see it but I've seen the way that you look at her. You want to tell her how you feel. When she wakes up, do it. Don't keep yourself waiting for an invitation."

"She likes someone else."

"Cody, you are a remarkable man. You remind me much of Jango. You have his charm and yes I say that with some sarcasm, his wit, his intelligence, his honor. But I cannot for the life of me believe that he was as blind as you." Kenobi said with a chuckle. "Just goes to show that you maybe his clone, but you are your own person. I suggest that you tell her how you feel and see if this 'someone else' is closer than you think."

"I will tell her." Cody promised. General Kenobi chuckled again in a manner that reminded Cody of the green Jedi Master Yoda before fishing into his pockets. Jedis had a lot of pockets, Cody had come to know. He watched as the continued to fish around for several minutes before coming up with a credit device.

"When we get to Alderaan, take Ahsoka out. It's on the Temple. Some fresh air will do you both wonders. And Yoda already knows so do the 'couples thing' will you?"

Cody stared blankly at the credit device before decided that General Yoda and General Kenobi were both out of their minds.

A small gasp from the bed and Cody was right by her side. Ahsoka opened her eyes, blinking at the terrible brightness. The brightness was then blocked by a familiar face and scar. Cody was leaning over her.

"Hey." He whispered, taking her hand in his gloved one. It was probably a good thing that Padme was gone. To see her hands, smaller than him look so fragile in his grip drove the Commander into a rage.

"I'm alive Cody." Ahsoka whispered. Cody fought to hide his emotions, knowing that she had picked up on them.

"I've missed you Ahsoka." Cody said softly.

"I've missed you too Cody." Ahsoka used her free hand to brush some dirt off of his yellowed-shoulder armor. Ahsoka smiled as he gripped her hand and held it to the side of his face.

"Ahsoka I need to tell you something. I am interested in you. I..." It was coming out the wrong way. Cody blushed hard and wished that he was in a battle of some sort.

"Cody lean down here." Ahsoka said, calmly. Cody leaned closer and closer until Ahsoka reached up and kissed him. Cody felt arms around his neck. He reared back, bringing Ahsoka with him. Holding her close he was aware that his armor was probably colder than what it needed to be, and what she needed. He released her, trying to put distance between her and his chest plate.

"My armor is too cold for you. I don't want to hurt you." Cody said trying to catch his breath. Ahsoka laughed softly at him.

"Your armor may be cold but you're not."

"Why me?" Cody asked.

"I saw you on the battlefield, defending us. You were there for me. I guess my love for you was born on the battlefield. And then Rex said that you were interested in me, I thought about telling you when I found out, but the Senator screwed that up." Ahsoka brushed her fingers thru his hair. Not having hair of her own, she was always curious as to what it felt like. Cody's hair was soft and thick, it surprised her.

"You like my hair." Cody said though his eyes were closed.

"Can you stay for a while?" Ahsoka asked. Cody smiled and wrapped his arms around her, curling up next to her on the bed.

~*~

Several hours later Ahsoka felt the Doctor was on his way. Ahsoka looked over at Cody and realized that the Commander was asleep. She didn't want to panic or wake up Cody too quickly. As the door opened, Ahsoka saw three pairs of arms belonging to three different troopers. Ahsoka laughed quietly as they pulled the man back. One of the three troopers was wearing a Command kama. Since it was yellow and not blue, Ahsoka figured it stood to reason that it was Commander Bly.

"Wow that was quick of them." Cody whispered. Ahsoka giggled.

"That was quick and you were sleeping." Ahsoka said.

"I was and now I want to know something."

"What's that?"

"Where would you like to go on a date? When we set foot on Alderaan."

Ahsoka smiled.

~*~

He stood outside the door, wondering if he should knock. While the offer was always open, he hesitated in using it. The door opened to reveal his affection. The Jedi smiled at him.

"Ah Rex. Come in won't you?"

~End

Author Note: My first fully written Cody/Ahsoka. What do you think? You want me to continue with another story? Do you want to know who I paired Rex with?

Want someone's opinion: I have three bunnies that want to visit. Rex/Ventress, Cody/Ventress, and Padme/Clone (I dunno who. Either Fox, Cody, or Rex)


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